Washing-machine



H. E. SMITH. WASHING MACHINE.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAMILTON E. SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,891, dated. March 6, 1860.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAMILTON E. SMITH, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and ImprovedIVashing-Machine; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to improvements in washing machines which consistof revolving vessels containing the water, clothes, and weighted reelsor rollers having a combined rolling and pounding effect on the saidclothes and my improvement consists in a slatted or perforated reelhaving a suitable number of straight sides, and arranged to revolvewithin a body of water contained in an outer vessel or reservoir, andoperating in conjunction with an internal weighted reel or roller, inthe manner described hereafter, so that the pounding of the inner reelor roller on the clothes may have the effect of forcing the watercontained in the folds, through the interstices of the fabric andthrough perforations of the spaces between the slats of the revolvingreel into the outer vessel or reservoir, and sot-hat the latter mayserve as a receptacle for the heavy particles of dirt, which are thusprevented from returning to the folds.

M'y invention further consists in combining a heating apparatus andouter casing with the above mentioned reel in such a manner that theclothes are exposed to a constant circulation of warm water.

In order to enable others to make and use my invention I will nowproceed to describe its construction and operation.

On reference to the accompany drawing which forms a partof thisspecification, Figure 1, is a longitudinal sectional elevation of myimproved washing machine. Fig. 2, a transverse sectional elevation. Fig.3, part of a machine representing a modification of my improvement.

On reference to Figs. 1 and 2, A is a hollow cylindrical casing of woodor metal made in two halves, the lower half resting on and being securedto suitable legs B. The upper half of this casing is hinged to the lowerhalf on one side at a and the two halves are locked together in front bya suitable latch 7), on unfastening which the upper half may be turnedback, thus exposing the whole interior of the casing. In the oppositeends (Z and d of this casing, turn the journals e e of the hexagonalreel C, which is composed of two hexagonal disks H and H connectedtogether near their peripheries by a series of longitudinal slats h, h.

At one or more points the slats are cut away so as to leave an openingof suitable size for the admission of the clothes, the openings thusformed being furnished with a gate 2' which can be locked and unlockedat pleasure.

In the inside of the reel C, is a smaller cylindrical reel D consistingof a system of slats fastened to end plates. This internal reel issomewhat shorter than the reel C, so that the former can have more orless end play, and move freely in the latter. The reel D should beweighted either by making it entirely of metal or if made of wood byattaching to it such weights as will cause it to press with therequisite force on the clothes.

In connection with the above described machine, I use a heatingapparatus consisting of a casing P, containing a coiled pipe E, theupper end of which communicates with the interior of the casing A at apoint near the journal 6 of the reel (l, the lower end alsocommunicating with the interior of the easing but at a point near thebottom of the same. \Vithin the casing P and below the coil is a spacefor receiving the necessary fuel for heating the water as it traversesthe said coil.

In using my improved washing machine, the lat-ch b is in the firstinstance unlocked and the upper half of the casing A thrown back. ater,together with any of the usual washing materials is then poured into thecasing until the lower half is nearly full. The water heated in the coilwill pass through the upper end of the latter into the interior of thecasing, while the cooler water in the bottom of the casing will passinto the lower end of the coil through which such a continuouscirculation of water is maintained that the contents of the casing Asoon acquire the necessary degree of heat. The gate i of the cylinder orreel C is then unlocked, and after a mass of dirty clothes have beenintroduced into the said reel the gate is closed and relocked and theupper half of the casing A folded down and locked to the lower half. Arotary motion is then imparted to the reel by means of an ordinaryhandle G, or if the machine be of the large size, by any suitable systemof gearing.

As long as the reel C remains stationary the inner reel D will rest inthe lowest corner as seen in Fig. 2, and when the outer reel is turnedthe inner reel will retain this position in the same corner until thelatter reaches a certain point when the inner reel will roll down theinclined plane of slats to another corner. Thus, as the outer reelrevolves, the inner reel is impelled with a force depending upon itsweight from one corner to another, or in other words, it has a risingand falling combined with a rolling motion, within the outer reel. Atthe same time the clothes within the latter are turned over and over,such of the clothes as are on the inclined plane of slats being subjectto the rolling action of the inner wheel as it descends, and suchclothes as are in the corner of the reel, receiving the full force andweight of the descending inner reel. The water contained in the folds ofthe clothes is by this combined rolling and pounding action of the innerreel forced, through the interstices of the fabric and through thespaces between the slats into the body of water contained in the outercasing, the particles of dirt being thus forced from the fabric insteadof being rubbed from the same as in ordinary washing machines, and theheavier particles remaining at the bottom of the outer casing.

Instead of using slats for forming the reels, they may be made of boardsperforated with a suflicient number of holes to allow the water in theouter casing free access to the reel and to allow free egress for thewater forced through the interstices of the fabric by the weighted reel.

I wish it to be understood that I do not claim broadly a vessel soformed that a weighted reel within the same may have a pounding effecton the clothes contained in the vessel such a device being described inthe patent granted to J. Boardman July 15, 1851; but

I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Theslotted or perforated reel C, having any convenient number of straightsides,

when the said reel is arranged to revolve within the water contained inthe outer vessel A, and when it operates in conjunction with theweighted reel or roller D, as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. I also claim the heater P with the coiled pipe F or its equivalent,when combined with the outer casing A and the reels C and D, in themanner and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this'specification beforetwo subscribing witnesses.

HAMILTON E. SMITH.

lVitnesses HENRY HOWSON, CHAS. E. FOSTER.

